Incorporating Additive Manufacturing into your Production Process

Track: Partner Sessions

Session Number: 170556

Date: Wed, May 10th, 2017

Time: 9:15 AM - 10:00 AM

Room: 110

Description:

What does incorporating Additive Manufacturing in to your production process look like?

FDM Tech Applications

Multi-Material, flexible materials combined with rigid polymers to provide one part (rigid and soft) seals and gaskets. Print with self-lubricating material combined with other materials (e.g., impeller hubs, wheel hubs) reducing friction and wear of moving parts. Will absolutely reduce the cost per part when factoring in all costs to manufacture.

Vacuum metallizing/deposition (VM or VD) for RF/noise Shielding

Expensive milled parts replaced with FDM manufactured plastics, vacuum metalized to match RF shield performance. Significant cost reduction and improved time to market. Fixture masks to aid in the VM process. PMT, a VM company from the initial purchase, on a month to month basis has made money by moving from service bureau support to producing parts in-house.

New High Temp materials with properties to include chemical resistance and fire retardancy. Easier to print with than Ultem and PEEK. Significant reduction in cost per part. Uses in many industries where extreme temperature and pressure is introduced, for fixtures, for parts residing in chemical baths.

Oxygen free print chamber enables plastic parts to be built for inclusion in the human body. FDA requirement that any parts going inside the body must be built in an oxygen free environment. Introducing a positive pressure of nitrogen will enable this. 510K process approval underway.

Open vs Closed materials

Open Materials are backbone of profitable AM using FDM technology

An open materials environment allows for customers to better control their competitive entry into the market. Developing their own materials in conjunction with parters and having an open industrial slicer will allow for companies to differentiate themselves from their competition. Closed and controlled industrial printing environments limit capability in a market that more and more demands distinction.